In the recreational vehicle industry, room slide-outs are used to increase the interior space of the recreational vehicle by having one or two sections along an exterior wall of the vehicle that slide outwards away from the main body of the recreational vehicle. An expanded position provides more internal living space for the comfort and convenience of occupants. A retracted position conforms the recreational vehicle to street legal specifications and increases rigidity and aerodynamic performance so that the recreational vehicle is mobile.
Each slide-out system commonly involves a single, integrated structure which can be moved with respect to the recreational vehicle chassis. The slide-out structure consists of a floor, a ceiling, side walls, and an exterior wall which are connected together. The slide-out is sized and dimensioned so that it can pass through an opening in an exterior wall of the vehicle, and is typically mounted and motor driven so that it may move outward into an expanded or extended position for use in that position, and inward into a retracted position for driving.
The recreational vehicle industry bases the size of the vehicle or trailer on pre-manufactured chassis sizes and the towing capacity of built-in engines or towing vehicles. This engine-chassis limitation makes it very important to optimize the interior living space of the vehicle and to also optimize the weight of the recreational vehicle. A recreational vehicle that can maximize interior space of a chassis will be preferable to recreational vehicle customers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,144 to Cream describes a recreational vehicle with a walk-in closet that has a moveable foldable wardrobe that is pivotally mounted to a stationary cabinet by way of a vertical hinge. In Cream, when the extendable housing is deployed, a space is created that enables the foldable wardrobe to be deployed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,719 to Hanemaayer describes a convertible sitting-sleeping arrangement for a recreational vehicle. Hanemaayer describes folding doors which define partitions that are moveable from positions covering and concealing the toilet area from view to positions where the toilet area is open for use by using a pair of panels hinged together on their long edge.